Life-preserver.



No. 663,096. Pa'tent ad D60. 4, I900.

H. c. .LIAVYERY.

Ll FE PRESERVER.

(Application filed Feb. 28, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets$heet l.

attain Mg.

m: uowms n'zns ca, PNOI'O-LXTHO..-WASHINGTON. a. c

No. 663,096. Patented Dec. 4, 1900.

1. c. LAVEBY. LIFE PRESERVEB.

(Application filed Feb. 28, 1900.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shaet 2.

6727 film/e awuzwfom By q/ Ltmemo 1-H: Norms rsrzns cu, PNDTO-UTHO. WASHINGTON, 'DIQ TU ETE Fries.

HENRY o. LAVERY,OF1WEST SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN.

LIFE-PRESERVER.

:BPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 663,096, dated December 4, 1900.

Application filed February 28, 1900. Serial No. 6,846. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY G. LAVERY, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Superior, in the county of Douglas and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Life-Preserver, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to life-preservers, and more especially to that type of preservers known as life-rafts, designed to have sufficient buoyancy and carrying capacity for holding a number of persons, besides such stores and equipment as form the necessary appurtenances of an apparatus of this character.

To this end the invention primarily c011- texnplates a simple and compact construction of life'preserving raft capable of being folded into small compass and supported in' an inoperative position but of the 'way 'upon any convenient part of a vessel and which at the same time is always ready for use, while also being exceptionally light and strong.

A further object of the invention is to construct the life preserver or raft with improved means providing for the automatic inflation thereof upon its detachment or removal from the support holding the same to its point of attachment on the vessel and to associate with the holder or support simple and efficient means for normally restraining the self-contained inflating mechanism to permit of the preserveror raft being held in its inoperative position with the inflatable float in a deflated condition.

It is therefore one of the primary objects of the invention to not only provide the pre-.

server or raft with automatically-operating inflating mechanism for the float, but also means whereby this in flating mechanism will come into action when the preserver or raft is taken down for use, so that it is only necessary to place the same overboard.

A further object of the invention is to combine with the preserver or raft improvedsignaling means whereby a flag-signal may be displayed by day and a light-signal by night and also to construct the raft whereby the.

same is reversible, so that it may be used from either side thereof.

With these and many other objects in view, which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, com bination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

While the essential features of the invention are necessarily susceptible to a variety of modifications without departing from the spirit or principle thereof, still the preferred embodiment of the improvements is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which" Figure 1 is a plan'view of a life preserver or raft constructed in accordance with the present invention with the parts positioned ready for use. Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of the construction shown in Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a general perspective view showing one way of supporting the preserver or raft in its inoperative position upon the ceiling of a vessel. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the construction shown in Fig. 3, illustrating more plainly the manner of holding or sup porting the p'reserver when not in use. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail elevation showing the normal position of the operative parts of the inflating mechanism when the preserver is supported out of use. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the tubular signal-staff. Fig.8 is a detail in perspective of one of the ends of the signal-staff, showing the burner-head applied thereto. Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8, showing the running connection of the signal-staff with the runner guy-line. Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view on the line 10 10 of Fig. 9, showing the stop project-ions upon the runner guy-line. Fig. 11 is a detail view showing the coupling connection between the contiguous ends of the annular inflatable float.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying out the invention the body of the life-preserveris preferably constructed in the form of a circular raft, although a true circular outline need not necessarily be preserved in the formation of the apparatus. This form, however, permits of a more compact arrange mentof parts, as well as a greater strengthening of the entire structure, and, re-

nates the buoyant or float body of the raft,

essentially consisting of a continuous open stiffening-frame 2, a flexible bottom section 3, and an annular inflatable float-rim 4. The open stiffening-frame 2 is preferably of a circular ring form and may be constructed of any suitable material, although the same is preferably formed of aluminium piping,which possesses the necessary strength and lightness, and the open space within the circular stiffening-frame 2 is entirely covered by the flexible bottomsection 3, which may be formed illustrated in the drawings, which netting is permanentlyfastened to the circular frame 2 and constitutes a supporting-platform for sustaining the persons, provisions, and other equipment that may be placed upon the raft.

The open stiffening-frame 2, which surrounds the flexible bottom section 3, is encircled by an annular inflatable float-rim 4, and this inflatable float-rim preferably consists of an inner inflatable tube 5 and an external protective covering or case 6 for the inner tube, said external protective covering or casing 6 completely enveloping the inner tube 5 and laced by means of the lacing or equivalent fastening 7 to the stiffening-frame 2 of the float-body, and by referring to Fig. 6 of thedrawings it will be seen that the lacing or equivalent fastening 7 not only provides a pivotal connection between the float-rim 4 and the stiffening-frame 2, but may also constitute the securing means for fastening together the edges of the external covering or case 6, yet the essential feature of this part of the device is the provision of a pivotal connectionrbetween the inflatable float-rim and the stiffening-frame, which permits of the j rim when inflated swinging outward upon the stiffening-frame so as to surround the same, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. While T the inflatable float-rim 4 may be constructed in any approved manner, the same is pref-' erably in the form of a single duplex tube 5 6, the contiguous meeting extremities of which may be joined together by means of coupling-. plates 8, arranged at opposite sides of the meeting extremities and joined together by suitable fastenings 9, although it will be un- 1 .derstood that any coupling connection may be employed for the ends ofthe float-rim when the sameis constructed in the form of a single length of tubing.

In carrying out the present invention it is the Y purpose to provide improved means for automatically inflating the float-rim 4 and also to provide for throwing the inflating mechanism into action upon taking the preserver or raft down for use, and the preferred expedient for securing this result is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings. This expedient involves constructing the inner inflatable tube 5 of the float-rim with a chemicaLcOmpartmeut 10, partitioned from the remainder of the tube, and in the partition-walls 11 of which compartment are formed the gas-ports 12, through which the gas enters the vacant portion of the inflatable rim. The said chemical-compartment 10 of the float-rim is designed to accommodate a quantity of chemical, preferably in a .d ry state, and this chemical may be any suitable sodium or potassium compound, or, in fact, any chemical which will be attacked by a liquid, such as an acid, so as to evolve gas. The said chemical-compartment 10 not only contains one of the inflatin'g agents, but is designed to accommoof stout canvas or other suitable material;- but preferably consists of rope-netting, as

date therein a separate interior chemical-receptacle 13, which contains the liquid chemical, such as an acid, and is provided in opposite sides thereof with the oppositely-located ports 14 15, which respectively receive the valves or stoppers 16 17, mounted upon a commonvalve-stem 18, extending transversely across the interior of the chemical-receptacle 13. The valves or stoppers 16 17 are spaced a distance apart equal to the distance between the oppositely located ports 14 15, whereby the said valves or stoppers will close their respective port-s atthe same time, and vice versa,and the stem 18,carrying the valves or stoppers, is normally strained in one direction by the valve-displacing device'19 in the form of a spring, said spring being arranged to bear at one end against a side of the receptacle 13 and having its other end connected with the valve-carrying stem 18 to provide for reciprocating the same in one direction. The saidvalve-carryin g stem 18 has pivotally connected to one end thereof a trip-lever 20, which when the two valves 16 17 are drawn into the ports 14 15 against the tension of the spring 19 is adapted to be folded back upon the exterior of the receptacle 13 and held in such position through the medium of an external restraining-lever2l. This restraininglever 21 is located entirely outside of the inflatable float-rim and is pivotally connected at one end, as at 22, to the flexible bottom section 3 of the float-body, and at an intermediate point said lever is formed with a contact-elbow 23, which is adapted to be held pressed against the exterior of the float-rim, so as to bind the wall thereof against the trip-lever 20 when folded against the receptaole 13 in the position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The restraining-lever 21 is held in this position to retain the valvesor stoppers within the ports of the chemical-receptacle through the medium of a suitable rearms being adapted to swing over and against the preserver or raft in its folded condition and having their contiguous ends provided with openings 27, taking over a center post 28, and held thereon by means of a key or equivalent fastening 29, as plainly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

With the float-rim deflated and folded inward upon the bottom section of the body and the latter held against the wall or other part of the vessel by the supporting-arms 25 it is obvious that the restraining-lever 21 may be positioned at one side of the retaining device or stud 24, so as to hold the triplever in a folded position upon theinterior' cheinicalreceptacle 13. By removing the key or fastening 29 to permit of the support-- ing-arms being swung away from the folded preserver or raft the mere removal thereof away'from its supported position, and consequently away from the retaining device or stud 24:, will allow the restraining-lever 21 to swing loose, and consequently release the trip-lever20, whereupon the valve-displacing spring 19 will come into play and move both valves 16 and 17 out of their ports, thus permitting the acid or other liquid within the chemical-receptacle to mingle with the agent in the compartment 10, and thereby produce gas, which passes out of the chemical-compartment 10 into the remainder of the in flatable rim, thus inflating the same, and in the event of an excessive pressure of gas being created the same may be properly vented by providingthefloat-rim with a suitable safetyvalve 30 of any approved construction. Upon the rim being thus automatically inflated the same will swing upon its pivotal connection 7 to an operative position with relation to the stiffening-frame 2 of the float-body.

In order to provide the preserver or raft with means for displaying a signal by dayor by night, there is associated with the same a central tubular signal-staff 31. This tubular signal-staff 31 is suitably held at a point between its ends to the center of the flexible bottom section 3 of the float-body by means.

of the fastening-ropes 32 or equivalent connections, and when in an upright position the upstanding portion of the staff above the raft constitutes a signal-pole to which a flag may be attached in the daytime and at night utilized as a torch. To provide for the utilization of the tubular stall 31 as a torch, the same has fitted to each end thereof a burnerhead 33, which bu rner-head is threaded or otherwise suitably fitted to the staff and is provided with agas-passage 34, having fitted in the outer end thereof a bu rner-tip 35, which is exposed outside of the staff. Each of the said burner-heads is further provided with a water-passage 36 open at both ends and provided, preferably contiguous to its inner open end, with a lateral port 37'in communication with the gas-passage 3%. The burner-heads 33 at the opposite ends of the signal-staff 31 project inwardly within said staff, and the inner open ends of the waterpassages 36 of'the said heads, as well as the lateral ports 37 thereof, are adapted to be covered and uncovered by means of a controlling-valve 38, mounted upon a single reciprocatory valve-stem 39, the end portions of which stem extend through the water-passages of the bu rner-heads and have connected to their extremities the exterior pull connections 1-0, preferably in the form of chains provided with finger-rings ell, which permit of the con venieut manipnlation thereof. The interior of the tubular signal-staff 31 constitutes a compartment for receiving a quantity of the gas-producing agent 42, such as calcium carbid, which when attacked by water will evolve an illuminating-gas. It will therefore be obvious that when either end of the tubular signal-staff is exposed above the preserver or raft and it is desired to display a signal-light it is simply necessary to draw upon the pull connection 40 at the uppermost end of the staff, so as to carry the controlling-valve 38 at such end out of the lower open end of the water-passage 36, thereby uncovering the said end of the waterpassage and the adjacent port 37, com m unicating with the upper gas-passage 34. At the same time the valve 38 at the lowermost end of the staff is carried into the body of the signal-staff, thereby permitting the water to freely rush through the lowermost passage 36, as well as through the lowermostgas-passage 34, into the interior of the signal-staff, so that the carbid 42 will be attacked and the gas evolved therefrom will pass upwardly into the uppermost burner-head and may be lighted or ignited at the burner-tip 35. Inasmuch as the construction of each end of the signal-staff is duplicated, the same operation takes place, irrespective of which end of the staff is uppermost, and at this point it may be observed that the pressure of the gas which may accumulate within the signal-staff will serve to automatically regulate the inflow of water from the lower end of the staff.

To provide for sustaining the signal-stalf in an upright position when the preserver or raft is in use and at the same time bracing the entire structure, a plurality of guy-lines 43 are arranged at both sides of the floatbody. These guy-lines 43 are connected at their outer ends to the stiffening-frame 2 of the iioat-body, and when the staff is in upright position incline from the stiffeningframe to the ends of the stalf, where they are connected with the ears 44, projecting laterally from the ends of the staff and preferably formed upon the burner-heads 33 thereof. One of the guy-lines at each side of the floatbody is a continuous one, extending diametrically across the same, and may be properly termed a runner guy-line e3, inasmuch as the end of the signal-staff has a running or sliding connection therewith. One of the ears 44 at each end of the burner-head is provided therein with a keyhole-slot 45, which is adapted to receive the runner guy-line 43 at that side of the float-body. Each runner guy-line 43 is provided at a central point between its ends with a pair of spaced stop projections 46, adapted to be located, respectively, at the opposite sides of the ear having the keyhole-slot 45 when the signal-staff is in an upright position, thereby securing the staif in such position and preventing it from swinging laterally; but when it is desired to fold the signal-staff upon the bottom section of the body for mounting the preserver or raft in its inoperative position the runner guy-lines 43 are lifted at their central portions out of engagement with the contracted portions of the keyhole-slots 45, so that the stop projections 46 thereof may pass through the larger portions of these slots, and thereby permit of the signal-staff being swung upon its central support 32, so that it may be folded flat upon the float-body to the position shown in Fig. 4.

The self-contained interior inflating mechanism herein described is substantially the same as that disclosed in my other application, Serial No. 740,324, filed December 14,

1899, but is rearranged in connection with the; trip and restraining levers to permitof the automatic operation herein described.

tages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

l. A life-preserver comprising a float-body having an inflatable member, and an automatically-operatin g, norm ally-inacti ve inflating mechanism having communication only with the interior of said inflatable member, substantially as set forth.

2. A life-preserver comprising a float-body having an inflatable member, and automatically-operating inflating mechanism housed entirely Within said inflatable member, and having communication only with the interior thereof, substantially as set forth.

3. A life-preserver comprising afloat-body having an inflatable member, inflating mechanism associated with such inflatable member, and means for normally restraining the inflating mechanism by the support of the float-body, substantially as set forth.

4. A life-preserver comprising a float-body having an inflatable member, inflating mechanism associated with the inflatable member, and means for automatically setting the inflating mechanism into action by the removal of the float-body from its support, substantially as set forth.

5. A life-preserver comprising a float-body having an inflatable member, inflating mechanism housed entirely within said inflatable member and having no exterior communication, and means for normally restraining the inflating mechanism by the support of the float-body, substantially as set forth.

6. A life-preservercomprisinga float-body having an inflatable member, inflating mechanism housed entirely within the inflatable member, and means, exterior to said inflatable member, for normally restraining the inflating mechanism by the support of the body, substantially as setforth.

7. A life-preserver comprising a float-body having an inflatable rim, inflating mechanism housed entirely within saidrim and having communication only with the interior thereof, and means, exterior to the rim, for

normally restraining the inflating mechanism, substantially as set forth.

8. A life-preser ver comprising a float-body having an inflatable rim,-inflating mechanism housed within said .rim, and means, exterior to the rim, fornormally restraining the inflating mechanism by the support of the body, substantially as set forth.

9. A li-fe-preserver comprising a float-body having. an inflatable rim, inflating mechan- It is thought that the construction, opera-, tion, and many advantages of the herein-de-Z scribed life-preserver or raft will be readily apparent to those familiar with the art with-j out further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the form, pro-'3 portion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from. the principle or sacrificing any of the advanism housed within said rim and having a trip, and an exterior restraining device 00- operating with said trip and held in operative position-by the support of the body, substantially as setforth.

10. Alife-preservercomprisingafloat-body having an inflatable rim, inflating mechanism arranged within said inflatable rim and having a trip-lever, and a restraining-lever supported on the body exterior to the rim and held in operative relation to said triplever by the support of the body in an inoperative position, substantially as set forth.

ll. Alife-preserver comprisinga float-body .having an inflatable rim, inflating mechanism housed within said rim and having a trip-lever, and a restraining-lever loosely mounted upon the float-body exterior to the rim thereof, and adapted to be held against the rim in operative relation to the trip-lever by the support of the float-bodyin its inoperative position, substantially as set forth.

12. A life-preserver comprisinga float-body having an inflatable rim, inflating mechanism including an interior receptacle within the rim and a valve device for the receptacle having a trip-lever adapted to be folded upon the receptacle, and a restraining-lever pivotally mounted 011 the float-body exterior to the rim and adapted to be held against the latter to press upon the tripdover when the float-body is supported in its inoperative position, substantially as set forth.

13. A life-preserver comprising a float-body having an inflatable rim, provided with a sepiOO chemical-receptac le and a spring-actuated valve or stopper device for the chemical-receptacle, said device including a trip-lever adapted to be folded upon the exterior of the receptacle, and a restraining-lever pivotally mounted on the float-body and adapted to beheld against the rim to exert a pressure upon the trip-lever in its folded position, substantially as set forth.

14:. In a life-preserver, the combination with a holder and a retaining device, of a float-bod y adapted to be held by said holder in an inoperative position, and provided with an inflatable rim, an inflating mechanism mounted within said rim and including a triplever,and a restraining-lever pivotally mounted upon the float-body exterior to the rim and adapted to be held by the said retaining device in a position against the rim to hold the latter upon the trip-lever, substantially as set forth.

15. In a life-preserver, the float-body comprising a stiffening-frame, a flexible bottom piece arranged within said frame, and an annular inflatable float-rim having a pivotal connection with said stifiening-frame, substantially as set forth.

16'. In a life-preserver, the combination of a reversible float-body, a signal-staff fitted to the body and projecting from both sides thereof, and bracing connections between the staff and each side of the body, substantially as set forth.

17. In a life-preserver, the combination of a reversible float-body, and a signal-staff fitted to the body and projecting from both sides thereof, said signal-staff being arranged to fold upon the body, substantially as set forth.

18. In a life-preserver, the reversible floatbody, the signalstatf fitted centrally to the body and projecting at both sides thereof, said signal-staff being capable of folding upon the body, and guy-line connections between the opposite ends of the signal-staff and the float-body, substantially as set forth.

19. In a life-preserver, the float-body, the folding signal-staff centrally connected with the body. and projecting at both sides thereof, said signal-staff being provided at opposite ends thereof With attaching-ears,one of which forms a runner, and guy-lines arranged upon both sides of the float-body and connecting the same with the attaching-ears at the ends of the signal-staff, one of said guy-lines at each side of the float-body being continuous and adapted to have a separableinterlocking connection with the runner-ear at such side of the body, substantially as set forth.

20. In a life-preserver, the float-body, and a signal-staff connected with the body and projecting from both sides thereof, said signal-staif being provided at each end with a torch, substantially as set forth.

21. In a life-preserver, the float-body, and a signal-staff connected with the body and projecting from both sides thereof, said signal-staff being provided at each end with' a gas-torch and with means for supplying either of said torches with an illuminating-gas, substantially as set forth.

22. In a life-preserver, the float-body, a signal-staff connected to said body and projecting from both sides thereof, said signal-staff being provided at each end with a gas-burner or torch, and adapted to contain a gas-producing agent, and a manually-operated valve device for admittingliquid into eitherend of the staff, substantially as set forth.

23. In a life-preserver, the float-body, a signal-staff fitted to the float-body and adapted to contain a gas-producing agent, said signalstaif being further provided with a burnerhead in communication with the interior of the staff, and a valve device for admitting liquid into the staif, substantially as set forth.

24:. In a lifepreserver, the float-body, a tubular signal-staff fitted to the body and projecting from both sides thereof, said staff being adapted to contain a gas-producing agent, a burner-head fitted to each end of the signal-staff and provided with a gas-passage and a liquid-passage, said liquid-passage being open at both ends and having a lateral port communicating with the gas-passage, a burner in communication with the gas-passage of each head, and asingle manually-operated valve-stem extending through the signal-staff and carrying controlling-valves respectively working in the liquid-passages of the opposite burner-heads, and also arranged to cover and uncover the said lateral ports, substantially as set forth.

25. A lifepreserver having an inflatable member, inflating mechanism housed .within said inflatable member and having communication only with the interior of said inflatable member, said mechanism being provided with a trip, and means, exterior to the inflatable member, cooperating with said trip to normally restrain the inflating mechanism, substantiallyas set forth.

26. A life-preserver having an inflatable member, inflating mechanism housed within said inflatable member and having communication only with the interior of said inflatable member, said mechanism being provided with a trip-lever, and means, exterior to the inflatable member,cooperating with said triplever to normally restrain the inflating mechanism, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY C. LAVERY.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. SIGGERS, EDWIN E. VROOMAN. 

